His gentle voice vouchsaf'd to cheer,
His art upheld her tender frame.
Pale envy durst not shew her teeth,
Above contempt she gaily shone
Chief favourite, till the hand of death
Endanger'd both by striking one.

Perceiving well, devoid of fear,
His latest fatal conflict nigh,
Reclin'd on her he held most dear,
Whose breast receiv'd his parting sigh;
With every art and grace adorn'd,

By man admir'd, by heaven approv'd,
Good VARO died--applauded, mourn'd,
And honour'd by the muse he lov’d.”

VOL. I.

Pleasing thy face and form, tho' heav'n confin'd To scanty limits thy extensive mind:

Witness the taintless lustre of thy skin,

Bright emblem of the brighter soul within;

That soul which easy, unaffected, mild,

Through jetty eyes with pleasing sweetness smil'd.

"To soundest prudence, life's unerring guide,
To love sincere, religion void of pride;
To friendship, perfect in a female mind,
Which I can never hope again to find:

To mirth, the balm of care, from lightness free,
To steadfast truth, unwearied industry,
To every charm and grace, compriz'd in you,
Sister and friend, a long and last adieu!

F

A Farewell to the World.

"WHILE sickness rends this tenement of clay,
Th' approaching change with pleasure I survey,
O'erjoy'd to reach the goal with eager pace,
Ere my slow life has measur'd half its race.
No longer shall I bear, my friends to please,
The hard constraint of seeming much at ease,
Wearing an outward smile, a look serene,
While piercing racks and tortures lurk within,
Yet let me not, ungrateful to my God,
Record the evil and forget the good;
For both I humble adoration pay,

And bless the power who gives and takes away:
Long shall my faithful memory retain,
And oft recall each interval of pain.

Nay to high heav'n for greater gifts I bend,
Health I've enjoy'd, and I had once a friend.
Our labour sweet, if labour it may seem,
Allow'd the sportive and instructive scene:
Yet here no lewd or useless wit was found,
We pois'd the wav'ring sail with ballast sound.
Learning here plac'd her richer stores in view;
Or, wing'd with love, the minutes gaily flew.
Nay, yet sublimer joys our bosoms prov'd,
Divine benevolence, by heav'n belov'd:
Wan meagre forms, torn from impending death,
Exulting, bless'd us with reviving breath.

The shiv'ring wretch we cloth'd, the mourner cheer'd,
And sickness ceas'd to groan when we appear'd:
Unask'd, our care assists with tender art
Their bodies, nor neglects th' immortal part.

"Sometimes, in shades impierc'd by Cynthia's beam, Whose lustre glimmer'd on the dimpled stream, We led the sprightly dance thro' sylvan scenes, Or tripp'd like fairies, o'er the level greens! every breast a gen'rous fervour glows,

In

Soft bliss, which innocence alone bestows!
From fragrant herbage, deck'd with pearly dews,
And flow'rets of a thousand various hues,
By wafting gales the mingling odours fly,
And round our heads in whisp'ring breezes sigh.
Whole nature seems to heighten and improve
The holier hours of innocence and love.

Youth, wit, good nature, candour, sense combin'd,
To serve, delight, and civilize mankind,
In wisdom's lore we ev'ry heart engage,
And triumph to restore the golden age!

"Now close the blissful scene, exhausted muse,
The latest blissful scene which thou shalt choose;
Satiate with life, what joys for me remain,
Save one dear wish, to balance ev'ry pain?

To bow my head, with grief and toil opprest,

Till borne by angel-bands to everlasting rest."

Miss Kezzy Wesley was addressed by Mr. Hall, a young gentleman of good understanding, agreeable in his person, and engaging in his address. He was entered at Lincoln College as Mr. Wesley's pupil, on the 22d of January, 1731; but Mr. Wesley was totally ignorant of the matter when he first paid his addresses to his sister.* Mr. Hall entered into Orders while he was at Oxford; and though most of the family thought highly of him in every respect as a religious character, yet Samuel Wesley strongly doubted his sincerity. Mr. John Wesley believed him sincere and pious, but in a letter written to his mother, when Mr. Hall was at Oxford, he speaks of him as highly enthusiastic and superstitious. After he had gained the affections of the young lady he quitted her, and paid his addresses to her elder sister. The family opposed this conduct with great vehemence, especially the three brothers. But the marriage, notwithstanding took place, and the future conduct of Mr. Hall by no means corresponded to the expectations they at first formed of him. After some years he quitted his wife, and afterwards lived in the most loose and scandalous manner. Mrs. Hall bore her trials with remarkable patience and resignation. Indeed, in this respect, she was a pattern to all christians; for she was never heard to speak ill of any person, whatever injuries she might have received.-Miss Kezzy Wesley died on the 9th of March, 1741, and Mr. Charles Wesley gives the following account of her death in a letter to his brother.

"Yesterday morning sister Kezzy died in the LORD JESUS. He finished his work, and cut it short in mercy-full of thankfulness, resignation, and love, without pain or trouble, she commended her spirit into the hands of Jesus, and fell asleep." Mrs. Hall survived all her brothers and sisters, and died in peace, July 12, 1791.

*This appears from a letter Mr. Wesley wrote to Mr. Hall, in which he mentions this circumstance.

CHAPTER III.

OF HIS BROTHERS, THE REV. SAMUEL AND CHARLES WESLEY.

SECTION I.

OF THE REV. SAMUEL WESLEY, JUNIOR.

*

SAMUEL WESLEY, M. A. son of Samuel and Susannah Wesley, was born about 1692," a year or two before his parents removed to Epworth; being nearly eleven years older than his brother, Mr. John Wesley, and sixteen older than Mr. Charles. He was sent to Westminster School about the beginning of the year 1704, and admitted a King's Scholar in 1707. Before he left home, his mother by judicious and constant instruction, had formed his mind to a knowledge and serious sense of religion; but she knew the danger of his situation at Westminster, and how exceedingly apt young persons are to be drawn aside from religion and virtue, by improper companions, and bad examples constantly before their eyes. On this account she was anxious for the preservation of his morals, as he grew up and became more exposed to the temptations of evil. After she had recovered from the shock of the fire, which destroyed all they had, and from the fury of which they saved themselves with great difficulty, she wrote to him a long letter, dated October 1709; which, for the importance of the matter, and the energy with which it is written, is highly deserving of preservation; but, on account of its length, we can insert only a part of it. This part of it, however, will bring forward to the view of parents an example of attention to the best interests of a child, which it will be their happiness and glory to follow.

"I hope," says she, "that you retain the impressions of your education, nor have forgot that the vows of God are upon you. You know that the first fruits are heaven's by an unalienable right; and that, as your parents devoted you to the service of the altar, so you yourself made it your choice when your father was offered another way of life for you. But have you duly considered what such a choice, and such a dedication imports? Consider well, what separation from the world! what purity! what devotion! what exemplary virtue! is required in those who are to guide others to glory. I say exemplary; for low, common degrees of piety are not sufficient for those of the sacred function. You must not think to live like the rest of the world; your light must so shine among men, that they may see your good works, and thereby be led to glorify your Father

*This date of his birth is taken from a memorandum, which Mr. John Wesley wrote on the back of one of his brother's letters.

+ Welsh's List of Scholars of St. Peter's College, Westminster, as they were elected to Christ-church, Oxford, and to Trinity College, Cambridge, page 91.

which is in heaven. For my part, I cannot see with what face clergymen can reprove sinners, or exhort men to lead a good life, when they themselves indulge their own corrupt inclinations, and by their practice contradict their doctrine. If the holy Jesus, be in truth their Master, and they are really his Embassadors, surely it becomes them to live like his Disciples: and if they do not, what a sad account must they give of their stewardship.

"I would advise you, as much as possible in your present circumstances, to throw your business into a certain method; by which means you will learn to improve every precious moment, and find an unspeakable facility in the performance of your respective duties. Begin and end the day with him who is the Alpha and Omega; and if you really experience what it is to love God, you will redeem all the time you can for his more immediate service. I will tell you what rule I used to observe when I was in my father's house, and had as little, if not less liberty than you have now: I used to allow myself as much time for recreation as I spent in private devotion; not that I always spent so much, but I gave myself leave to go so far, but no farther. So in all things else, appoint so much time for sleep, eating, company, &c. But above all things, my dear Samy, I command you; I beg, I beseech you, to be very strict in observing the Lord's Day. In all things endeavour to act upon principle, and do not live like the rest of mankind, who pass through the world like straws upon a river, which are carried which way the stream or wind drives them. Often put this question to yourself, Why do I this or that? Why do I pray, read, study, use devotion? &c.-by which means you will come to such a steadiness and consistency in your words and actions, as becomes a reasonable creature and a good christian." These observations were worthy of the mother, and they were properly regarded and followed by the son.

When senior scholar at Westminster, the Bishop of Rochester* took him to his seat at Bromley in Kent, to read to him in the evenings. He was, at this time, eagerly pursuing his studies, and this circumstance, which for several reasons would have been highly gratifying to many, was to him no small mortification. From this place he wrote a Latin letter to his father, in August 1710, in which he complains heavily of the Bishop for the interruption he gave him in his learning. An extract from this letter we shall insert below,† and give the general purport of it in English. Speaking of the Bishop, he observes "He will always be exceeding troublesome to me both

The predecessor of Atterbury, who was not advanced to the See of Rochester till 1713.

+ Speaking of the Bishop, he says, " Ille mihi, et in sacris et in profanis rebus semper erit infestissimus; studia enim intermitti cogit, quibus ro virili incubueram. Ultimo anno in Collegio agendo, ubi non mihi seniori opus est amicorum hospitio, a studiis et a schola me detraxit; non modo nullam ad utilitatem sed ne ad miniman quidem vel utilitatis vel voluptatis specimen me vocavit. Ipse hodie foras est, aliter vix otium foret quo has scriberem. Me ex omnibus discipulis elegit, ut perlegerm ei noctu libros; me raucum, me vara Gaudeo vos valetudine bona frui. Tuam et maternam benedictionem oro-Episcopus jussit me illius in literis mentionem facere. Da veniam subitisAviam ultimis festis vidi; his venientibus non possum, quia ab inimico amico detineor"